


Keeping nightmares away

by LucidaCentury (Sephora909)



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Dark Castle, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-12
Updated: 2014-04-12
Packaged: 2018-01-19 02:17:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,457
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1451797
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sephora909/pseuds/LucidaCentury
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Belle just had a nightmare and went to the kitchen for a comforting infusion. She is startled to get discovered by Rumplestiltskin, and even more surprised when he shows concern for her.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Keeping nightmares away

**Author's Note:**

> [Like it on Tumblr ;D](http://lucidacentury.tumblr.com/post/82471399958/keeping-nightmares-away)

When Belle reached the kitchen, she had stopped trembling with fear and started to shake with cold. Still, she felt better here than in her room. Determined to stop letting a stupid bad dream make her feel so sick, she tightened the knot of her dressing gown and set about to make some water boil in the kettle. She had barely finished to fill it, when a now familiar voice behind her startled her.

“You do know you still have five hours until serving breakfast, dearie? Making it shouldn’t take that long, even with your cooking skills.”

Belle was in such a bad need for company that she actually chuckled at his mean comment. Even a mocking Dark One was better than the dead silence of the castle. Not wanting him to leave, she turned to him and tried to smile.

“Since you’re up too, do you want some lime-blossom and mint tea?”

Rumplestiltskin had guessed it was Belle moving around the castle in the middle of the night when he realized where she was heading to. His curiosity had convinced him to follow her, but now it was his worry about her which made him stay. Not only had she laughed at his insulting quip, but she also had red puffy eyes and the skin of her face was livid. She had stopped crying over her lost life weeks ago, so what had happened to make her so sad again?

His concern must have shown despite his best efforts at keeping a straight face, for Belle blushed and quickly turned around to busy herself with the tea things.

“You should have told me you liked working at night, that’s when the castle’s the most dangerous. Plenty of nasty traps. I’m glad I found you here unharmed and not charred in some dark corridor.”

As soon as he uttered the second half of his last sentence, Belle let out a sob. First she laughs, now she cries... He had trouble keeping up with her emotions. Why did he even care in the first place? She was nothing more than a servant. Maybe he had just grown tired of her tears. Yes, it must be that. Speaking of tears, he couldn’t let those go to waste: he needed some for a spell he had in mind.

Belle heard Rumplestiltskin quietly crossing the kitchen and stopping close beside her. She kept her eyes closed, waiting for him to mock her again. Only he didn’t.

“Here,” he simply said when the silence grew heavy.

She quickly glanced at him, startled by the hurried little word. He was looking away, as if her sorry state was too much to bear. And yet he was gently holding out a deep red handkerchief embroidered in gold to her. A bit confused by this unexpected kindness, it took Belle a moment to realise he was giving it to her. When she took it, she was careful not to touch his hand so as not to make the situation more awkward.

“Thank you,” she whispered, not trusting her voice not to waver had she spoken louder.

The showman he was bowed slightly to her while she dried her eyes with the soft piece of silk. Rumplestiltskin waited patiently, but not to get his handkerchief back. When Belle made to give it back, he hold up his hand.

“Why don’t you keep it for now, and tell me what happened while we drink our tea?”

Belle blinked at him several times before noticing she was staring. Could he really be trying to be nice? His voice sounded sincere, but the mischief in his eyes and in his grin was undeniable. Belle didn’t quite know what to think of this, but at least she wouldn’t have to stay alone. She agreed quietly with a nod, then finished preparing everything they needed for the tea. Rumplestiltskin had already taken a seat, so she chose to sit on the other chair at the corner of the kitchen table. This way, she was close to him, yet neither in front of him nor right beside him.

“There isn’t much to tell. It was just a stupid nightmare,” she said, making her voice as clear as she could while she poured the tea.

“Not that stupid if it made such a brave thing as you cry.”

Was that a compliment? An indirect one, but a compliment indeed. Belle hid her blush by taking a sip from her cup. When she looked back at Rumplestiltskin, he was still watching her intently while cradling the cup she had chipped in his hands. However, he averted his gaze by taking a sip as soon as their eyes met. He seemed so nice tonight it was hard to think of him as the monster everyone was so terrified by.

“If you really want to know...” she began and felt his gaze return to her now that she wasn’t looking at him.

She told him about the dark place she found herself in. The wind was chilling her bones, and monsters were chasing her and her father. These creatures looked like corpses, yet they were walking, slowly but surely, reaching their putrid hands out to them. Little by little, they were catching up with them. Soon, they would be surrounded by the living dead. But then a gate came into view. Hope, at last. Belle and her father used all their strength trying to close it, yet it would only move if pushed from the other side. One of them had to sacrifice their life to save the other. So, despite Belle’s desperate pleas...

At this point, speaking became too hard, just as much as keeping her tears from spilling. No amount of tea could ease the pain in her throat and in her heart.

“Any father would do the same to save their daughter,” Rumplestiltskin offered with a soothing tone she had never heard before.

That reminded her that her father had done little to prevent her from going with the Dark One. Of course, he knew nothing could change her mind once she was convinced of what had to be done. Be still, he had made no offer to get his daughter back.

It was too much for Belle. First that horrid dream, now this... Her tears ran freely down her cheeks. She must look so stupid, breaking down like that in front of Rumplestiltskin. Still, she was glad to have his handkerchief.

“You should go back to sleep, now. Or your work will be sloppy tomorrow.”

His tone was not so gentle, now that she was a mess with red eyes. Surely he was tired of her crying, as he had been before. At least, he was not as mean as he used to be. She nodded slowly and got up when he did.

“Thank you,” she said with a shaking voice as she handed Rumplestiltskin back his handkerchief.

He took it without a word, and she didn’t have the strength to look at him. So she left without a glance behind.

The rest of her night was dreamless and quiet. Talking to Rumplestiltskin hadn’t helped much, but crying had definitely exhausted her. Like every morning, she put on her night gown and slippers, and went to open the curtains of her bed room. The sun had barely started to rise: it was still a red light glowing on the horizon.

Belle stayed a moment at her window, sighing deeply at the peaceful landscape. It wasn’t that she was unhappy here, but she felt lonely here compared to when she was at her father’s castle. And even if she was starting to like Rumplestiltskin, she couldn’t speak with him as with a friend. Not really. In fact, she still had trouble figuring him out.

Still thinking about the breathing enigma she now shared her life with, she turned around to go get dressed for the day, but something caught her eye. Something that wasn’t there the day before. Half covered by the curtains, there was a strange object hung against the window: a golden hoop on which a red thread was woven in a net, and at the bottom of which was attached a glass ball half filled with water. Belle had seen one of those in a book, it was a dream-catcher, an item made to keep bad dreams away. How did it...?

As she looked closer, it suddenly hit her: Rumplestiltskin had made it out of his handkerchief. Her surprise was quickly followed by a sudden fondness for Rumplestiltskin. How very thoughtful and kind of him. And yet, he hadn’t dare to give her his gift in person. Who would have guessed that the Dark One was also a shy one?


End file.
